Okay so heres the deal. I have a D300 and have for a couple of months but I just want a D3. I love my D300 but the high ISO of the D3 just makes me want to go into debt.

I have a D200 thats makes a great back-up so I figure if I buy the D3 I can sell my D300 with grip. I bought lenses with the idea of upgrading and I found one in the US, I am just not sure. I hate debt but wow it would be great to shoot at 3200 ISO 1/80 at 2.8 in a dimily lit room and not have to worry about noise or even the NR blur from the D300. My concern would be that I would try to sell my D300 and loose my butt on it.

Any input from owners that have had both would be appreciated. If its worth it, I might pull the trigger or I might just get the 14-24 lens and get the D3 later.

Mike

It's not worth debt. You're only gaining about a stop over the D300. I want one too, but I have 2 D300's that I'm dang happy with, and I got them both for $1500 less than 1 D3 would have cost.

Wow, I think it is about 2 stops better. 1600 is about the most on the D300 and from what I've seen, you can do 6400 with similar results on the D3.

DO it!!!!!

OK!

...really though, can you give me some insight on your experience?

Thanks!

No doubt that the D300 is an amazing camera. But the D3 is much more than just one stop more... it is several stop more plus many features more. Plus ia a full frame canera while the D300 or D200 are not.

Check out DPReview website where they did an indepth review of both cameras and you can compare both.

I would buy the D3 and sell the D200.

Well I decided not to do it. I thought about it last night and almost clicked buy two times and when I woke up this morning I went to buy it and it showed limited quantities when last night it showed in stock. I called and they were out of stock.

I am going to take this as a sign and hold off for now. I just wish the D300 performed as well as the 5D at higher ISO's and it didn't blur detail to remove noise. I actually wish I had stuck it out with Canon back when I switched and got a 5D when I sold my 40D instead of switching.

Eiterway, I have a lot of good glass and I guess the D300 isn't that bad...just gotta stick it out for now.

Smart. This is not the time to go into debt. Best to hold off till you can pay for it outright.

They are both great cameras!

(Plus they say it's not the camera, but the photographer that makes all the difference. )

Yeah I hate debt but man I love that camera! lol

Plus, I don't feel right when I could just swap back to Canon and get the 5D and similar lenses to what I have and not have to spend a penny. Plus, Canon's lenses are soooo much more inexpensive.

I agree and agree even more. I would never go into debt to purchase anything, unless it were an emergency and I could pay it off in 1-2 billing cycles.

Debt = bad

People "think" they need the latest and greatest. YOU DON'T. A bride does not give a rat's a#% what kind of camera you have.

Too many photographers think it's the equipment that makes you good...Nooooo...it's the person behind the camera and how you use the equipment that you have.

I would challenge ANY photographer to be able to tell what kind of camera you shot with just by looking at a photograph. It can't be done. A great photograph is great because of the person behind the camera.

I Knew a full-time New York model/fashion photographer that used a Canon AE-1 (in the film days - in case you don't know, that is a consumer 35mm camera) for years and did just fine. Oh, and he just had 2 lenses.

If you have to go into debt to buy this puppy, definately not!

Agreed on that front, but the D3 is awesome. It's low-light capability and super-accurate focusing really makes it a great camera.

If you are a natural light shooter - you'll be in heaven.
If you are not yet a natural light shooter - it will change the way you work. I don't ever rave about equipment but after 25 years shooting, it's the best camera I've ever had - ok except for my Leica with the Noctilux 1.0
Every one of my assistants have looked at the files from it and have dumped their D300's and sucked it up and bought it - also , it's so very very nice to be full frame again.

Yeah, I think I am just going to focus on the little bit extra I need to buy it and not worry about debt. My D300 is fine. I had considered using the money to buy more lenses and just keeping the D300 until a later date. Like getting a 14-24 2.8 or 10.5 fisheye...but we'll see. I know there is a D3 at my local shop and I would love to use it this weekend at a wedding.

If you rent it - you will buy it ....... trust me!
If you are not ready to buy it now, but know you will - hold off on buying DX lenses, or you'll end up selling them - like me!
One thing you will need the 12-24 (the new one I think that's it) and or the other new 24- whatever - otherwise you find the masking crop thing pretty annoying. Oh - and if anyone's interested - my 17-55, 80-400 and D2x are all up for grabs. Guess I should get around to posting this in the gear for sale section.

I currently have the 24-70 2.8 non-DX, one of the new lenses from Nikon. I also have the 70-200 VR 2.8 and plan to buy the 14-24 but if I buy the 14-24, I am delaying the D3 and thats NOT a good thing.

Right now I have like $3100, including the sale of my D300 w/grip (once I sell it), so I am not far off. I mean I have the cash but I would really not like to use the cash I have on hand.

Maybe next month...we'll see! But for sure, no DX lenses for me...not even the fisheye I mentioned above, I just need to restrain myself...plus hey, my B-Day is in April and hopefully I will get gift cards to my local shop that currently stocks the D3 or to BH as they seem to be the online source regularly for them.

I'm in debt for the D3 I now have but I am seriously in love with this camera. The low light and high iso ability is really unbelievable. I did get some cash for my D2X so I feel a little less guilty about the new debt

lol...well I almost traded a 5D set-up for my D300 set-up but after shooting a 5D at my local camera shop next to a D300, the D300 is just as good and not worth the change...still on board with the upgrade to the D3.Here is the D300 at 1600 ISO...Here is the 5D at 1600 ISO...

These are both JPG Fine straight out of the camera...no color correction or anything.Thanks!MikeHere is another 5D shot...this one is a little better. Same 1600 ISO.

Noise isn't everything. The 5D shows fairly even toned skin, whereas that D300 shot looks like a black eye is forming. When you color correct it for skin tones it becomes more obvious. This is consistent with a test between the D200 and 5D I posted about 18 months ago. I'm glad to see it is MUCH better, but still has that Nikon look. My results showed that anytime you go above iso 400 (with a D200) this uneven skin thing became an issue as the Nikons tend to magnify magenta and greens in skin tones.
Also, the D300 has used so much noise reduction the details are smeared.
In a comparison I saw between the 1DsMKIII and the D3 by a friend of mine for PDN, the D3 won for noise but the Canon had way better skin tones, consistent with these results. It wasn't as dramatic but I could pick out the D3 file every time. Personally, I'd go with the D3 if I were invested in Nikon glass.

BTW, I am NOT a 5D user.

*edit- this came off like I'm way against the D300, I'm not, it's a pretty cool camera. But I had to point this out as there is so much more to an image than noise. Heck, take my opinion for what it's worth; I still shoot Tmax 3200!

So, figuring up my finances and if everything goes well with a sell of equipment tonight and a computer that I am selling, I will be about $1100 short (including taxes on D3).

I will be listing my D300 once I close the gap for the D3 and I need to find one in stock. I know my local camera store that had one but I will need to call and check.

When I decide to sell my D300, what should I ask?

I bought the D300 on Dec 26th from Ritz Camera. It has about 7000-8000 actuations on it and it comes with a Ritz Camera 1 yr warranty that covers drops, water...anything. The grip was bought just weeks ago and has only been used on two weddings...thats it!

The camera is in great conidition, no scratches or scuffs and comes with box and all original stuff. The grip is also in great condition and comes with an additional battery.

Let me know.

Anyone have any input on the value of my D300?

Well the sales went great tonight...got exactly what I was looking to get. Now I just need to sell two computers and I should be very close to my D3. I have a family member buying my Dual G4 Mac but I will need to sell my Dell XPS Dual 2.66 Intel...if your interested, let me know!

Mike

Well I decided to hold off on ordering the D3 for now. After further review of my D300, I am pleased with it. I actually had NR turned on High and I hated the results...now with NR turned to Low, I am very happy!

I decided to buy another lens today once I reviewed the photos...I knew I was missing a wide angle, so I just ordered one! I have a 14-24mm f2.8 Nikkor lens arriving tomorrow!